Structural Integrity

Timber Grade

Bamboo Living Homes are made with a special tropical clumping (sympodial) bamboo species. The poles used in the houses are 3 ½ inches in diameter and the wall of the bamboo pole is ¾ inch in thickness. The exceptionally strong and flexible bamboo poles are able to withstand the extreme forces imposed on a house during hurricanes and earthquakes. It has twice the compression strength of concrete and roughly the same strength-to-weight ratio of mild steel.

The hollow tube shape gives a strength factor of 1.9 times more than an equivalent solid wood beam.

And we're proud to say that our green bamboo homes are the first and only bamboo dwellings in the world that have achieved ICC-ES certification from the International Code Council. This means that they have passed and surpassed all conventional tests and can be permitted anywhere in the world. In addition, the engineering for our homes have surpassed the strictest hurricane codes by Florida’s Dade County compliances.

Understanding the full benefits of using bamboo requires an open mind, imagination and a bit of re-education. We're sometimes asked, “Is a bamboo house strong enough to hold up a heavy roof as well as solar and hot water panels?” Our answer is a resounding, "ABSOLUTELY!"

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